Sky Sports wins FIA Broadcaster of the Year award

Sky Sports F1 has been awarded ‘Best TV Broadcaster Award for Outstanding Coverage’ by the FIA for the second year running.

The award was presented by the CEO of Formula One Management Bernie Ecclestone at the 2013 FIA Prize Giving Ceremony in Paris last night.

The prize recognises the outstanding international broadcaster for breadth and quality of Formula 1 coverage. Sky Sports F1 has now won the award for both seasons since its launch in 2012.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “To win this award twice in two years is a great honour and recognition for the incredible hard work of our Sky Sports F1 production team. The award reflects the passion we have for innovation, creativity and production standards, not just in Formula 1 but across all our sports. We aim to provide the best quality coverage as well as best set of rights and we’re very proud to receive such recognition.”

Martin Turner, executive producer for Sky Sports F1 added: “Formula 1 is a sport with passionate and knowledgeable fans that deserve the ultimate coverage. If you’re not at the Grand Prix, we want Sky Sports F1 to be the next best place to be. This award gives us another reason to keep improving and we’re working on several exciting ideas for next season.”

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle commented: “This second consecutive award for Sky Sports F1 recognises the impressive creativity and passion of a great team of men and women who work tirelessly behind the cameras and mixing and editing galleries. It’s a pleasure to work with them.”

As well as live coverage of all Grands Prix and every practice and qualifying session in the 2013 season, Sky Sports F1 HD viewers have also enjoyed additional programming such as The F1 Show, Ted’s Qualifying and Race Notebook and new episodes in the F1 Legends series presented by Steve Rider. In addition Sky Sports News HD, skysports.com and @skysportsf1 have provided breaking news and in-depth coverage throughout the season.

Sky Sports F1 continued to innovate with a world-first in February with live 3D coverage of the third winter test. Once the season started drivers replayed and scrutinised their own laps live on air on the new outdoor paddock touch screen, Pit Wall Live saw commentators Brundle and Croft speak live to a team’s pit wall and Team Principal, and Trackside with Martin Brundle brought the former driver’s expert analysis during practice. After the race, commentator David Croft answered viewer twitter questions live on the red button, and #AskCrofty was a regular top UK trending topic on a Sunday post Grand Prix in 2013.

Coverage this season was again presented by Simon Lazenby with commentary from Martin Brundle and David Croft, expert analysis by Damon Hill, Anthony Davidson and Johnny Herbert and reports from Natalie Pinkham and Ted Kravitz.

Sky Sports F1 HD will continue throughout the winter with regular F1 programming as well as coverage of the build-up to the new season including test sessions in February.